Shipping-case.



E. B. McHOSE.

SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1914.

Patented. May 11, 1915.

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E. B. McHOSE.

SHIPPING CASE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1914.

1,13,Q7@ Patented May 11, 1915.

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EDWIN BENJIMAN MCHOSE, OF AARONSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHIPPING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed May 1, 1914. Serial No. 835,745.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN B. MCHOSE, a citizen of the United States,residing a Aaronsbury, in the county of Center and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Shipping-Case, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a shipping case or crate for eggs orother commodities, and aims to provide a novel and improved container orreceptacle of that nature.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a collapsible orknock down crate of uniqueconstruction, whereby after the contents havebeen removed, the crate or case may be compactly folded or knocked downfor the purpose of storage, or for conveniently returning the crate tothe shipper or owner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means forlooking or holding the several portions of the crate or case together,when in erected or set up condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide peculiar, simple andeffective means for holding the parts of the crate or case either inerected or collapsed condition, and whereby the crate will be rigid andparts intact under either condition.

It is also within the scope'of the present invention to provide ashipping case or crate of the nature indicated, which will becomparatively simple, substantial, non-encumbering and inexpensive inconstruction, and which will be simple, convenient, practical,serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crateor case in erected condition, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the device in collapsed or knocked down condition.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the crate in erected condition, and with thecover or top removed. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section of the crate inerected condition. Fig. 5 1s a transverse, or cross section of the cratein collapsed condition. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of thelatches for locking the stays.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a bottom 1,preferably of rectangular outline, and constructed of wood or any othersuitable material. The bottom 1 is provided with an upstanding margmalflange or rim 2.

The crate or case further includes sides 3 and ends 4 which areconstructed of fiber, sheet metal, or other suitable material. The sidesand ends are hinged to the bottom 1, and to accomplish the said resultin a simple and convenient manner, metallic strips 5 of U-shaped crosssection are secured or applied to the lower edges of the sides 3 andends 4;, the lower edges of the side and ends being disposed immediatelywithin the side and end portions of the rim 2, and longitudinal andlateral hinge rods 6 are passed through the strips 5 along the loweredges of the sides and ends 3 and 4, respectively, and have their endsor terminals engaged within the corner portions of the bottom rim 2. Ifdesired, staples or other bearing members 7 may be engaged at spacedpoints to the hinge rods 6 and maybe driven outwardly into the rim 2 forstiffening and supporting the hinge rods 6. p

The hinge rods 6 of the ends 4 are preferably arranged directly adjacentthe bottom 1, while the hinge rods 6 of the sides 3 are arranged in aplane above the plane of the end hinge rods 6, to enable the ends 4: tobe swung inwardly upon the bottom 1, and to then enable the sides 3 toswing over each other upon the folded ends 3, as seen in Fig. 5.

In order to interlock the sides and ends at the corner of the crate orcase, when the case iserected or unfolded, strips 8 are secured to theends of the sides 3 upon the outer facesof the sides and have refiexededges 9 engaged around and projecting within the ends of the sides '3,as seen in Fig. 3. Strips 10 are secured to the side edge portions ofthe ends upon the outer faces of the ends, and have inwardly projectinghooked or doubled portions 11, which are engageable over the reflexededges 9 of the strips 8, when the ends 4 are swung to vertical positionbetween the end portions of the sides 3, to thereby lock the ends 4against excessive outward movement, as well as the sides 3.. It isevident, however, that the ends 4 may be readily swung inwardly anddownwardly against the bottom 1, the hooked or doubled portions 11disengaging the reflexed edges 9.

As is customary in ordinary egg crates, to divide the present crate intotwo compartments or chambers, there is provided a partition 12 adaptedto be disposed ln-termediate the ends 4, although this partition neednot be employed, if desired. In order to detachably mount the partition12 between the sides 3, strips 13 are secured to the inner faces of thesides 3 intermediate the ends of the crate, and are provided withangular flanges or lips 14 projecting inwardly. Strips 15 are secured toone face of the partition 12 along the side edges of the partition, andare provided with angular flanges or lips 16 engageable between theflanged edges 14 of the strips 13 and the sides 3 of the case or crate,while strips 17 are secured to the other face of the partition 12adjacent its side edges and are engageable with the flanges or lips 14.The strips 17 project toward the angular flanges or lips 16, to receivethe strips 13 therebetween, whereby the lips or flanges 14 arereceivable between the strips 15 and 17 of the partition 12, as will beclearly seen in Fig. 3. Thus, by dropping the partition 12 downwardlybetween the sides 3, after the sides have been erected, the strips 15and 17 may be slid downwardly over the flanges or lips 14 of the strips13, to mount the partition 12 in place, and to hold the same againstlateral and longitudinal displacement. The partition 12 may be readilywithdrawn from between the sides 3, when the crate is to be collapsed orknocked down, so that the partition 12 may be placed upon overlappedsides and ends 3 and 4, respec tively, as seen in Fig. 5.

The crate or case further includes a removable top or cover 18 having adepending marginal rim or flange 19 adapted to slip or fit over theupper edges of the sides and ends of the crate or case, flanged stripsor members 20 being secured to the bottom face of the top or cover 18adjacent, but spaced from the rim 1-9, in order that theflanged strips20 may engage within the upper edges of the sides 3 and ends 4, as seenin Fig. 4, when the crate is erected and the cover or top applied. Thus,the flanges or lips 20 engaging within the sides and ends of the cratewill hold the same against swinging inwardly.

As a means for holding the bottom 1 and top or cover 18 in place, whenthe crate-{is erected, or when the same is collapsed, a

pair of stays or links 21 are provided at each side of the ,crate orcase, and have their lower ends pivoted to the side portions .of thebottom rim 2, by means of rivets or other pivot members 22 engaged intoor through the rim 2. The stays or links 21 at each side are spacedapart longitudinally and are suitably arranged for the purposes whichwill hereinafter appear.

It is preferable to secure cross strips or straps 23 to the lower faceof the bottom 1, and .to bend the ends of the strips 23 angularly, as at24, so as to be engaged by the rivets or pivot members 22 under thelower ends .of the stays 21, whereby the strips 23 will serve toreinforce the bottom 1, as will be evident.

To reinforce the top or cover 18, cross or lateral strips 25 are securedupon the upper face of the top 18 and have their ends 126 bent angularlyover the side portions of the rim 19.

Asa means for locking the upper or free ends of the stays 21 to the topor lid 18, the upper or free ends of the stays 21 are provided withinwardly projecting pins or fingers 27 insertible into apertures orsockets 28 provided in angular ends 26 of the strips 25 and sideportions of the rim 19. The stays 21 are suificiently flexible, toenable the pins 27 to be readily sprung into and out of engagement withthe apertures or sockets 28. The pins 27 are provided with grooves 29for the engagement of the latches 30 carried by the side portions of therim 19.

Each of the latches 30 is bent from a strip or bar of metal having itsend portions 31 ofiset inwardly and slidable within depressions orrecesses 32' provided in the outer faces of the side portions of the rim19, whereby the latch 30 may be reciprocated or slid longitudinally. Theend portions 31 of the latches :30 are arranged above the apertures orsockets 28, and are provided with lower notches 33 adapted to be slidinto and out of cooperation with .the apertures or sockets 28. Thelatches or bars '30 are preferably provided intermediate their ends withouter finger pieces or knobs 34 for facilitating the movement of thelatches to open and close the same. When the latches 30 are moved in onedirection, the notches 23 being brought into register with the apertures28, will permit the pins 27 of the stays 21 to be readily inserted intoand withdrawn from the said apertures, whereas, when the pins 27 areinserted into the apertures '28, and the latches 3O moved properly, thelower edges of the latches will he slid into engagement with the slotsor gro0ves29 of the pins 27, to lock the pins with-in the apertures 28.

In use, the crate may be readily erected or set up, by swinging thesides 3 and the ends 4: to erect position, in order that the cornerstrips 8 and 10 of the sides and ends will interlock at the corners ofthe crate. The partition 12 may then be readily introduced between thesides 8, to partition off the interior of the crate, if desired, as whenthe device is employed as an egg crate. The top or cover may then bereadily slipped over the sides and ends, to hold them in place, and toclose the container or receptacle. The stays 21 may then be swung to uright or vertical positions and the pins 2? thereof engaged into theapertures or sockets 28 after the latches 30 have been slid properly.Then, by sliding the latches 30 properly, the pins 27 may be locked inplace, to thereby lock the stays 21. The stays 21 will thus hold or lookthe cover 18 in place, and will brace the structure in general,especially with the strips 23 and 25.

When the case is in erected condition, the same may be transported orshipped without danger of the crate collapsing or break ing, and ifdesired, the latches 30 may be sealed in locked positions, to assureagainst the unwarranted opening of the crate, by maliciously inclinedpersons.

The crate may be readily opened by properly manipulating the latches 80,to release the pins or fingers 27, in order that the upper ends of thestays 21 may be detached from the top or cover 18. Thus, the cover 18may be removed, and the contents of the crate removed. The crate maythen be compactly folded or collapsed, by removing the partition 12, ifthe same is employed and then swinging the ends 4 inwardly anddownwardly between the sides 3 onto the bottom 1, and subsequentlyswinging the sides 3 over one another so as to overlap the folded ends4. The partition 12 may then be placed upon the overlapped ends andsides, as seen in Fig. 5, and the top or cover 18 placed upon the rim 2of the bottom. The stays 21 are then arranged to be crossed, as seen inFig. 2, whereby the upper or free ends of the stays may be engaged tothe opposite apertures or sockets 28, for looking the top and bottomtogether, by snapping the pins 27 into the proper apertures or sockets28 and manipulating the latches 30 to lock the pins 27 in place. Thecrate or case may thus be compactly folded or collapsed for the purposeof storage, or for returning the crate to the shipper or owner in acompact condition, which will also reduce the cost of transportationmaterially.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, theadvantages and capabilities of the present invention will be obvious tothose versed in the art, without further comment being necessary, itbeing noted that the objects aimed at have been carried outsatisfactorily by the provision of the structure herein disclosed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In acrate, a bottom, a cover, stays pivoted to the bottom and having groovedpins at their free ends, the cover having sockets arranged to receivethe said pins, and latches carried by the cover and engageable with thegrooves of the said pins to lock the pins within the sockets.

2. In a crate, a bottom, a cover, a plurality of stays pivoted to eachside portion of the bottom, the stays having grooved pins at their freeends, and the side portions of the cover having sockets for receivingthe pins, and a slidable latch mounted upon each side portion of thecover and having notched portions cooperable with the said sockets forreceiving the pins and engaging the grooves of the pins to lock the pinswithin the sockets.

3. In a crate, a bottom, a cover, stays pivoted to the bottom and havingpins at their free ends, the stays being arranged in pairs, the coverhaving sockets adapted to receive the said pins, and means for lockingthe pins within the sockets, the stays of each pair and sockets of thecover being so arranged that when the stays are arranged verticallyrelative to the bottom the pins are engageable with the sockets to holdthe cover in raised position, and whereby when the cover is loweredagainst the bottom, the

stays may be crossed. to enable the pins thereof to be engaged to theopposite sockets of the cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN BENJIMAN MoHOSE.

Witnesses:

E. E. PATTON, DAVID M. MOORE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. C.

